Is this good value for cloth nappies?

[ClaireLR]

I'm looking into the possibility of using cloth nappies but don't know everything about them at the moment so please bear with me!

I just came across this start up set on ebay, and wondered if it was good value for money?

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Little-Lamb-..._Baby_Changing_Nappies_LE&hash=item414381b70a

First the stooopid questions! Can someone explain what the difference between a booster and a liner is please? And are reusable liners best or ones that you throw away (I'm guessing if I'm washing nappies then I might as well be washing liners, so I've probably answered my own question there )

Another possibly stupid question, a shaped nappy is like a prefold, right?

Would 20 nappies be enough for a newborn? (20 of the size one), I guess that would mean washing every day 10 nappies approx? Which is fine, but would they be dry without tumble drying in time? I'm wondering if 30 of each size would be better so I can have 10 washing, 10 drying and 10 ready to go, is this a bit OTT?

Do you have to change the whole nappy each time, or just the liner? Are reusable nappies as absorbent as disposable?

Is there anything else I need to take into consideration when buying reusable nappies?

Thanks to anyone who can help!

 

[MrsRabbit]

With prefolds or fitteds which have a separate cover you can get away with using a cover more than once unless it gets soaked or gets poop on it.

I typically avoid kits. You may find your baby doesn't like bamboo or you don't. I wouldn't agree to one type of fabric or type of diaper.

I have no idea if it's a good price but I'm sure others will be along to answer.

 

[mopppy]

Yeah stay away from the kits, i bought a kit but never used it because I didnt like it (what a waste of money that was). What you are best off doing is speaking to a real nappy advisor or just buying a bunch of different ones to see which ones suit you and your little ones. You can also see if your local council run an incentive scheme for using real nappies, mine did and I recieved £70 voucher to put towards the kit I bought and never used lol

 

[Mynx]

I'm looking into the possibility of using cloth nappies but don't know everything about them at the moment so please bear with me!

I just came across this start up set on ebay, and wondered if it was good value for money?

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Little-Lamb-..._Baby_Changing_Nappies_LE&hash=item414381b70a

First the stooopid questions! Can someone explain what the difference between a booster and a liner is please? And are reusable liners best or ones that you throw away (I'm guessing if I'm washing nappies then I might as well be washing liners, so I've probably answered my own question there )

Another possibly stupid question, a shaped nappy is like a prefold, right?

Would 20 nappies be enough for a newborn? (20 of the size one), I guess that would mean washing every day 10 nappies approx? Which is fine, but would they be dry without tumble drying in time? I'm wondering if 30 of each size would be better so I can have 10 washing, 10 drying and 10 ready to go, is this a bit OTT?

Do you have to change the whole nappy each time, or just the liner? Are reusable nappies as absorbent as disposable?

Is there anything else I need to take into consideration when buying reusable nappies?

Thanks to anyone who can help!

I'm new to the world of fluff myself, been using them for nearly 3 weeks now so I will try my best to answer your questions from a newbie point of view This could be a long post LOL!

* I personally never bothered with the kits. It's much better to buy a small selection of different types, makes and shapes of nappies rather than being stuck with just one type that either doesnt work for your baby or that you just cant get along with.

* A booster is a microfibre/bamboo/hemp pad that gives extra absorbancy when needed, for example, a long journey, night times or if your baby is a heavy wetter.
A liner is thinner and is basically used just to line the nappy to catch any poo and make it easier to throw away. Disposable liners are ok in that you chuck em away, but I find that reusable fleece ones are great as they kind of draw away the pee and keep it away from baby's skin, and they also reduce staining from poo! I make my own - a large fleece blanket which I cut up into sanitary towel shapes and they work great

* I know absolutely nowt about shaped nappies as I use the all-in-one style.

* I would say that 30 nappies is a more realistic amount for a newborn and certainly not over the top as they require changing so much at first. I started my road to fluff when Evie was just over 7 months so she doesnt need so much changing and 20 nappies did us just fine, as long as I washed them every day - as you say, you have to allow drying time for nappies as well as washing time! I now have around 50 nappies.. it's addictive!!!
Microfibre inserts and boosters dry much quicker than bamboo or hemp, but they're dont hold as much pee.

* With the all-in-one style, you have to change the whole nappy, but with the wrap (nappies with a waterproof wrap) systems, you just take out the actual nappy and you can reuse the wrap. I dont know too much about those tho I'm afraid!

* Reusables arent as absorbant as sposies, you do have to change them more frequently, but if you're serious about using cloth, then it wont matter

* As for anything else to take into consideration... dont forget to buy a nappy bucket! I just bought a cheap bucket which had a lid, I think it was £3 lol and it works just fine! I put panty liners on the lid which I put a few drops of essential oil on just to keep the bucket smelling a little sweeter lol!
Another thing is that cloth nappies can be slightly bulkier under baby's clothes than sposies so that's worth taking into account

It's definately best to try different types and it will help you decide which type is best for you.. for me I've found the pocket/AIO type are perfect for us, much less bother than separate wraps etc. There are so many brands as well, and each has their own style. Also you need to decide if you want to go birth to potty (BTP) which you can adjust with poppers as your baby grows or with sized ones, which you would have to get the next size up when your baby outgrows them. I use the BTP ones because Evie is in between sizes at the moment.
Bum Genius are really good starting ones, they were my first nappies and I still really rate them They're a pocket/aio birth to potty style and come in a range of pastel colours. The problem with BTP nappies is that on newborns they can be bulky! So it might be worth going with sized to start with and expanding your range when your baby starts expanding

There's a guide in the sticky section for nappies with links etc to help you along your way, you might wanna check that out

 

[Rachel_C]

I think people have answered the other questions but a shaped nappy is different from a prefold. A prefold is kind of like a terry nappy - it's flat but it is presewn so that the middle panel is a bit thicker. You still need to fold it before putting it on the baby and you secure it with pins or nappy nippas. You can also use them as boosters or inserts in other nappies. A shaped nappy is a fitted nappy I think - it's already sewn into the right shape to put it on the baby. Both kinds need a wrap.

 

[ClaireLR]

Thanks for all the replies.

I feel confused by it all, is this normal I thought I would need the outer part of the nappy, boosters, liners, wraps and thats it, oh and a bucket, but now I read about ones with pockets, ones that you stuff, ones that are birth to potty and ones that are not. I don't know where to start with this!

I should probably add that the main reason I'm looking into cloth nappies is to save money as I won't be returning to work after bubs is born so I'm worried after what I've read that I'm going to have to buy lots of different things in order to find out what works best and end up spending lots of money.

HELP!

 

[Mynx]

If you're looking for value for money in the long run, then Birth To Potty pockets/all in ones style are probably your best bet as you dont have to buy the next size up and also all the inserts (and most come with a booster too) etc come with the nappy, so all you'd have to get is liners (if you choose to use them) and that's it
This is the way we've opted to do it and they're so much easier to change as well, especially with a wiggly 8 month old lol!! And yes, it's an expensive thing at the beginning, cos you would probably need at least 20 to start you off (30 is probably a better amount - you gotta allow for the ones that are drying as well as the ones that are in the wash!) but if you contact your local council, they may do a money back or voucher scheme for real nappies. It's worth it in the long run hun, it really is!

 

[ClaireLR]

If you're looking for value for money in the long run, then Birth To Potty pockets/all in ones style are probably your best bet as you dont have to buy the next size up and also all the inserts (and most come with a booster too) etc come with the nappy, so all you'd have to get is liners (if you choose to use them) and that's it
This is the way we've opted to do it and they're so much easier to change as well, especially with a wiggly 8 month old lol!! And yes, it's an expensive thing at the beginning, cos you would probably need at least 20 to start you off (30 is probably a better amount - you gotta allow for the ones that are drying as well as the ones that are in the wash!) but if you contact your local council, they may do a money back or voucher scheme for real nappies. It's worth it in the long run hun, it really is!

Thank you so much for that! Is there a brand/website that you could point me in the direction of, so I can get an idea of costs etc. I think you're right, 30 nappies sounds about what I thought. Where do you buy yours from? I think that the fact you say you've only used them for a short amount of time helps, it's as if you realise how confused I am!!!

 

[ClaireLR]

I've just had a quick look...........

So, just to get it straight in my own head, if I use the all in ones, with reusable liners, and reusable boosters, is that all I'd need to buy? Are the all in one nappies waterproof on the outside, would I still need to buy wraps? And if you use a reusable liner, can you also use a disposable liner with it (just thinking it would be less messy, most of the mess can go straight down the toilet then can't it?)

The all in one nappies look so cute!! Up till now I thought I'd go with terry nappies because a) I know they can work out cheapest and b) I didn't really know much about other kinds of nappies! I can see where the addictiveness comes in!

 

[Mynx]

I've just had a quick look...........

So, just to get it straight in my own head, if I use the all in ones, with reusable liners, and reusable boosters, is that all I'd need to buy? Are the all in one nappies waterproof on the outside, would I still need to buy wraps? And if you use a reusable liner, can you also use a disposable liner with it (just thinking it would be less messy, most of the mess can go straight down the toilet then can't it?)

The all in one nappies look so cute!! Up till now I thought I'd go with terry nappies because a) I know they can work out cheapest and b) I didn't really know much about other kinds of nappies! I can see where the addictiveness comes in!

The boosters come with the nappies (usually anyway!) it would just be liners that you'd need to get for those.. you can buy disposable/flushable ones or you can make your own from a fleece blanket or you can buy them online for just a couple of quid. In fact a member here called Merv's Mum makes some really funky ones
The all in ones are waterproof on the outside.. the outers are usually made from PUL fabric which is soft on one side and waterproof on the other So you wouldnt need wraps at all with them.

As for using a reusable liner with a disposable one, that's what I do lol! It makes a massive difference to how messy things get and also keeps the inside of my pretty nappies stain free

I started out with Bum Genius nappies. They're all in one, (altho could be classed as pocket cos you put the insert into a pocket bit) birth to potty and come with the insert (the main absorbant bit) and a booster (extra absorbancy for heavy wetters/night time). The colours are a bit limited in that there are no pretty prints but I got all mine in pale and dark pink. At the moment, alot of nappy sites are selling the v3 ones off cheap cos they've just brought out the v4 so it might be worth doing some investigating to see what bargains you can get there.. I love my BG nappies, they're my faithful ones as they've not let me down yet! I think they work out to be about £12 each, altho I'm not sure how many nappy sites will still have these tbh.

Also Close Parent PopIns are a pretty sound nappy in my opinion, again, birth to potty but classed as an all in two I believe because the insert snaps into the outer part, and the booster snaps into the insert. I use these ones at night time cos the booster is nice and bulky (bamboo insert and booster means more absorbancy)

Both the BG and the PopIns were my starting nappies and I've built my stash from there.. There's also one particular seller on Ebay (97k Gallery) who does some fab nappies at a fraction of the price. I bought 9 for £32 and altho I had to wait nearly 2 weeks for them, they were shipped from China lol! They're pretty good too, you get a few hours wear out of them and are really cost effective. There's some lovely prints, and all are really soft These are a large part of my stash too!

I've also bought a fair amount of preloved nappies from the girls here because I wanted to try out different types and brands but not pay full price if you know what I mean!

I hope my little essay helps!

 

[ClaireLR]

I've also bought a fair amount of preloved nappies from the girls here because I wanted to try out different types and brands but not pay full price if you know what I mean!

I hope my little essay helps!

It most definitely does!

Can I ask some more questions?? (Are you sick of me yet!)

The outer part of the nappy, they come in different materials don't they, so far I've seen cotton, microfibre and bamboo. Is there a particular type that's more absorbant?

I would love to buy some preloved ones, I'd like to buy about 10 to start off with, whichever brand/type people recommend are best, and then do what you've done and add to them as I go along. I don't suppose there's any harm in using disposables or a mixture to start off with is there? That's what I was thinking, that I need to get everything NOW for when baby arrives, sometimes I think I need to stop and think about these things a bit!

I looked at that seller on Ebay - those were the ones I'd looked at earlier!! I like the idea of the poppers rather than the velcro ones, do you have a preference? When they say inserts, is this the booster or just a liner? I'm also still a little confused between the difference between the ones with the pockets, I thought the liner just sat inside the nappy, does the pocket kind of hold it in place? Also I notice that these nappies can only be washed at 30 degrees, is that enough to remove stains?

Sorry, million and one questions again! Thanks for all your help

 

[Lliena]

hi hun I literally started looking yesterday properly at cloth nappies and I have ordered some itti bitty d'lish all in ones in small and medium which dont need any stuffables in them they come with a booster pad that snaps in and out and you can add more if you want to.

I then today ordered some of the ebay cheapies and some extra little lamb microfiber boosters in size 1 to add to them to play around with

I also ordered a wee notion custom nappy but this is a pocket insert one where you add the booster for more absorbency into a pocket on the nappy

The liner as far as im aware in each nappy is jsut something you put on the very top to stop the wee/poop marking your nappy too much and you can use fleecey reuseable ones or throw away biodegradable ones. The booster is the thing that helps add more absorbency to the nappies i think.

Sure someone will correct me if Im wrong as I said Im new to it all too!

Ps: this really helped me figure stuff out:

https://www.cheeksandcherries.co.uk/acatalog/nappy_info_glossary.html

 

[Mynx]

I've also bought a fair amount of preloved nappies from the girls here because I wanted to try out different types and brands but not pay full price if you know what I mean!

I hope my little essay helps!

It most definitely does!

Can I ask some more questions?? (Are you sick of me yet!)

The outer part of the nappy, they come in different materials don't they, so far I've seen cotton, microfibre and bamboo. Is there a particular type that's more absorbant?

I would love to buy some preloved ones, I'd like to buy about 10 to start off with, whichever brand/type people recommend are best, and then do what you've done and add to them as I go along. I don't suppose there's any harm in using disposables or a mixture to start off with is there? That's what I was thinking, that I need to get everything NOW for when baby arrives, sometimes I think I need to stop and think about these things a bit!

I looked at that seller on Ebay - those were the ones I'd looked at earlier!! I like the idea of the poppers rather than the velcro ones, do you have a preference? When they say inserts, is this the booster or just a liner? I'm also still a little confused between the difference between the ones with the pockets, I thought the liner just sat inside the nappy, does the pocket kind of hold it in place? Also I notice that these nappies can only be washed at 30 degrees, is that enough to remove stains?

Sorry, million and one questions again! Thanks for all your help

* The outer part of the nappy is the waterproof bit (if using All In Ones/Pockets style) and comes in a few different materials but all are waterproof as they have PUL which is a waterproof fabric
The cotton, microfibre and bamboo you're referring to is usually what the insert is made of. As far as I'm aware, (someone correct me if I'm wrong!) bamboo and hemp are far more absorbant than microfibre, but these can take aaaaaaaages to dry! Microfibre dries much quicker

* I did exactly what you're doing, started off with a few and then went from there. I had a week of using a combination of cloth and disposables till some more nappies arrived and then took the plunge and went completley cloth when I had around 15 or so nappies. I was washing every day and always had nappies drying somewhere lol!

* I personally prefer velcro (or Aplix) because I can get a much better fit around the waist on Evie .. I'm limited to where I can place the poppers so the Aplix always works much better for us. It's down to personal choice really and also the shape of your baby
Inserts are the bit that go inside the outer part of the nappy... they can snap in with poppers or they can slide into a pocket, depending on the brand. The pocket will hold the insert in place. The insert is the main part of the nappy, it does all the work!!
Boosters give the inserts a helping hand, for example, if your baby is a heavy wetter or if you want to use the nappy at night. These are usually a little smaller and thinner than the insert (the main part) and you would use these two together to get the ulitmate absorbancy.
Liners just protect the nappy from staining, fleece liners in particular are excellent for keeping nappy rash at bay too as it pulls the pee away from baby's skin
I wash my nappies (inlcuding the cheap ones) at 40 degrees. I use Surf with Essential Oils (cant use fabric softener, it affects the absorbancy of the inserts and boosters!) and do a 40 degree cotton wash with a prewash to start and an extra rinse after to help combat detergent build up (this also affects the absorbancy and the smell too) Seems to be working fine for us so far, we get minimal staining cos I use fleece liners, and if Evie has done a particularly nasty poo, I get rid of most of it down the loo and then give it a quick cold rinse with the shower head, then bung it in the nappy pail till I'm ready to wash it... if there are any stains left, then putting them out in the sun is almost garaunteed to get them out!

And as for all the questions, its fine hun, I was exactly the same a few weeks ago so I can sympathise with how confusing and how much of a minefield this all is right now!

 

[ClaireLR]

Wow I think my head is gonna pop LOL!

It's certainly a lot to take in really, I need some time to look round the various sites and prices/types etc to try and decide what I want to do!

So far I'm thinking that the birth to potty aren't as good as they sound as they might not fit so well (to big for a newborn, possibly too small for an older baby). Soooo, I'm thinking that the AI1/2 sound the best type, in sized nappies. The thing is as I said before my main reason for wanting to use cloth nappies is the money factor, and I'm worried these will work out expensive to start off with (OH nearly choked when I told him the approx start up costs.........)

So I have a dilemma, do I try and find the money up front for the sized nappies, or buy the birth to potty ones (like the ones from the ebay seller mentioned earlier) and hope for the best? I know I could just buy some size 1's to start with but I still figure I will need around 30 nappies so that I'm not continuously washing.

Decisions decisions! I will dream about cloth nappies tonight haha!

 

[ClaireLR]

Just a quick one then I promise I'll leave it for tonight

This item:

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BABY-REUSABL..._Baby_Changing_Nappies_LE&hash=item45f425315f

Would the outside of the nappy part be waterproof? I don't get how the pee doesn't soak all the way through to the clothes (or does it sometimes?). I think the best thing to do for me is to order one of these nappies to have a look and see what I think

 

[Mynx]

Yes the outside (well, it's more the inner lining of the nappy) is waterproof and the animal printed bit is nice and soft.
Pee does soak thru eventually, it's not completely watertight, if you leave them in it too long or if their clothes are a little tight, you can get what is called compression wicking where the clothes (or their bums if they're sat down too long in one position!) squeeze on the nappy and squeeze pee right out of the insert lol!
But yeah, go ahead and order one and see what you think. I have that particular nappy and it looks great on Evie and is also a pretty good performer overall.
You're right about the BTP nappies dwarfing a newborn, they are apparently quite bulky on teeny babies and often because their legs are quite skinny, you can often get leaks because of this, so it might be worth getting the sized ones to start with. Had I used flluff from when Evie was born, I'd have done it that way too.. start off small and work up to BTP.
You can always sell these on after and even tho you wont get what you paid for them, it'll help you along to either the next size, or to a stash of BTP nappies when LO is big enough to fill them better There are always people willing to buy small cloth nappies, especially if they're in good condition

 

[tiggercats]

I'm just going to add that in the pregnancy and birth magazine every few months they seem to do a coupon for a free little lamb nappy (normally someone puts a thread up in the freebies bit here). I got the bamboo one and it is so gorgeously soft but takes forever to dry, I've ordered one of each of the other trial packs from them direct (fleece and cotton) to see how they work for us. I bought one of each of lots of nappies when I began and have settled on my BG flips for the majority of the time, I also use pop ins and the little lamb, everything else has been/will be sold as it doesn't work for us, but you don't know what suits your LO until you try. However I've only spent £300 and got almost enough BTP to see us through now so much cheaper than disposables in the long run.

 

[Dopeyjopey]

If you are going for AIOs I'd recommend getting a few night nappies or some fitteds for the longer sleeping periods. I used sposies at night to start off with because i wasn't changing as often! x